Golfing equipment



April 14, 1964 s. SCHEURER 3,128,312

GOLFING EQUIPMENT Filed July so, 1962 INV EN TOR.

BY Mt ROBERT s. SCHEURER- United States Patent C 3,128,812 GOLFIN G EQUIPMENT Robert S. Scheurer, R0. Drawer 539, Wichita Falls, Tex. Filed July 30, 1962, Ser. No. 213,353 14 Claims. (Cl. ISO-1.5)

This invention relates to golfing equipment and more particularly to golf club head covers and to golf bags usable therewith.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved golf club head cover and a new and improved golf bag which have coengageable means for releasably securing the head cover to the golf bag to prevent its misplacement or loss when the head cover is removed from the club head prior to the use of the club.

Another object is to provide a golf club head cover and a golf bag wherein the head cover is easily and quickly secured to and released from the golf bag without the necessity of manipulating any mechanical devices, such as buckles, hooks and the like.

Still another object is to provide covers for the heads of golf clubs which need not be connected to one another as by the usual thongs which are employed to prevent accidental loss of the head covers but which tend to become entangled and twisted and thus cause removal from and replacement on the club heads of the head covers difficult, time consuming and game concentration impairing.

A further object is to provide a golf club head cover having a piece or patch of a hook pile material secured thereto whose hooks are engageable with the loops of a loop pile material secured to the golf bag.

A further object is to provide a golf bag having a pile material engageable by a complementary pile material secured to a golf club head cover wherein the configuration of the golf bag is such that the pile material of the golf bag will not come into contact with the ground or grass and will not be clogged or dirtied by extraneous materials such as blades of grass and the like lying on the ground when the golf bag is laid on the ground, grass or other supporting surface.

A still further object is to provide a golf bag of the type described having means engageable with the supporting surface for preventing rolling movement of the golf bag to an undesirable position wherein the pile fabric may be engaged with the supporting surface or extraneous materials resting on such supporting surface.

Another object is to provide a golf bag of the type de scribed wherein the means of preventing movement of the golf bag to an undesired: position includes a pocket means which extends outwardly of the cylindrical body of the bag.

Still another object is to provide a golf bag wherein the means for preventing movement of the golf bag to an undesired position includes a fiat longitudinally extending exterior planar surface on the body of the golf bag, the pile material being disposed on the body opposite said flat surface.

A further object is to provide a golf bag having a carrier strap so connected to the golf bag that when the golf bag is lowered thereby to rest on a supporting surface, the portion of the golf bag having the pile material thereon is disposed remote from the supporting surface.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag and a golf club head cover embodying the invention showing the head cover releasably secured to the golf bag;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the head cover embodying the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the golf bag embodying the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of still another form of the golf bag embodying the invention; and,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the com plementary pile materials.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, the golf bag 10 includes a cylindrical body 11 whose lower closed end has a reinforcing band 12 extending thereabout and secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by rivets 13. The cylindrical body has a pocket 14 whose continuous side wall 15 extends outwardly of the cylindrical body 12. The pocket has a longitudinal central opening 16 which is closable by any suitable means as the zipper 17 having the traveling operator member 18. The pocket may be employed to hold extra golf balls, towels, gloves and the like.

The pocket 14 may be secured to the body of the golf bag in any suitable manner, as by sewing or rivets or be bonded to or molded integrally therewith. The carrying strap 20 of the golf bag has one end provided with the usual snap fastener 21 having a connector portion 22 through whose elongate slot an end portion of the carrier strap may be passed, folded back on an intermediate portion of the strap to form a loop and secured thereto by any suitable means, as by the rivets 24. The snap fastener is releasably securable to the golf bag at the upper open throat end thereof by means of the small metal ring 25 secured to the bag in any suitable manner.

The other end of the carrier strap is releasably secured to the body 11 of the golf bag immediately above the pocket 14 thereof by means of a connector 27 secured to the golf bag by a flexible fabric or plastic loop 28 sewed or riveted to the body. The lower end portion of the belt is looped through the elongate slot or aperture of the connector and then secured to an intermediate portion of the strap by means of any suitable releasable snap member 29 secured to the strap adjacent the end of the carrier strap and engageable with one of the complementary snap members 29a spaced longitudinally along and secured to intermediate portions of the strap whereby the length of the carrier strap may be adjusted. This strap may be secured to the bag by any other suitable adjustable means such as the conventional friction type buckle.

A band or strip 30 of a pile material 31 of the type illustrated and described in the patents to Foster, No. 2,820,277, and Mestrel, No. 2,717,437, is secured about the cylindrical body of the golf bag adjacent the open or throat end thereof by any suitable means, as by sewing or an adhesive. As is fully described in these patents, the pile material may be of the loop type having a plurality of outwardly extending loops 31 which are engageable with the outwardly extending hooks 32 of a complementary pile material 33 of the hook type, when one material is pressed against the other, to secure them to one another and which are releasable from one another upon one material being pulled away from the other.

The golf club head cover 35 embodying the invention may be formed of two or more portions or panels 36 sewed together, as by the seam 37, at inturned edge portions thereof. The cover may be of the usual configuration having a lower open end throat portion 38 and may have a resilient restraining band 39 intermediate the ends thereof which permits passage of a golf club head into the cover 35 by permitting distention of the lower portion or throat of the cover and then constricts the throat below the golf club head to prevent accidental displacement of the cover from the golf club head but at the same time permits intentional removal thereof from the club head upon the imposition of a longitudinally acting force on the cover. The resilient restraining band may be omitted if desired if the throat of the cover is of such dimensions as to pass snugly over the club head.

The head cover embodying the invention has a flexible tab 40 of fabric, plastic, or the like, extending outwardly from the closed end of the cover secured to the head cover in any suitable manner, as by the stitches which form the seam 37 which connects the two panels 36 of which the head cover is made. A piece or patch 44 of the hook pile material 33 is glued or sewed to the backing member 44:: previously secured to the outer end of the tab 40 by any suitable means, as by a rivet 45 which extends in the usual manner through the tab and the backing member. The tab of course abuts the outer side 46 of the backing member 44a opposite the side to which the patch 44 is sewed. The patch 44 thus does not have a rivet extending therethrough.

In use, the golf bag embodying the invention may be carried in the usual way on a pull cart or an electric cart in a substantially upright position. The golf clubs disposed in the bag have their head portions extending upwardly and outwardly of the throat or open end of the golf bag in the usual manner. The golf clubs provided with wood heads are protected by the head covers 35. When it is desired to use a particular club whose head is covered by a head cover embodying the invention, the head cover of the selected club is removed merely by pulling upwardly thereon. When the head cover is detached from the golf club, it is secured to the golf bag to preclude accidental loss or displacement thereof merely by pressing the piece or patch of hook pile fabric 44 to the strip secured to the golf bag. No particular manipulation of the head cover or of the piece 44 is necessary since a simple slight pressure applied to the piece causes the hooks 32 of the hook pile fabric 33 to engage the loops of the loop pile material secured to the golf bag.

The provision of the strip or band 30 which extends about the circumference of the golf bag at the open end or throat of the bag facilitates the attachment of the head cover to the golf bag since the patch or piece 44 may be secured at any location about the circumference of the golf bag which is most readily accessible to the player.

When it is desired to replace the club in the golf bag and to again place the head cover 35 over the head thereof, the head cover is grasped at any portion thereof, detached from the golf bag by a simple pull imparted thereto and then placed over the golf club head.

The provision of the complementary coengageable pile materials on the golf bag and the head covers permits the use of head covers which are not connected to one another and at the same time minimizes the possibility of the loss of the head cover when it is removed from the golf club. If the head cover is not attached to the golf bag it must be laid on the ground or placed in the pocket of the player. In this case, since in his concentration on the game the player may forget to pick up the head cover from the ground or since the golf head cover may fall unnoticed from his pocket, the possibility of misplacement or loss of the head cover is relatively great and, in any event, the player concentration on the game is hindered by the necessity to look for the detached head cover.

It will now be seen that the provision of the golf bag and the golf club head covers with strips or pieces of complementary pile materials having coengageable means for releasably and individually securing the head covers to the bag eliminates the need for thongs for connecting the head covers of a number of clubs, which have been standard on most head cover sets for years and which heretofore have been necessary to prevent accidental misplacement or loss of the head covers but which impair concentration on the game by causing difliculty in removal off and replacement on the club heads of the covers since such thongs tend to become entangled or twisted.

It will further be seen that the provision of the releasable attaching means, such as the complementary hook and pile materials, on the golf bag and the head covers scarcely interferes with the play of the game since the head cover is easily removed from the head of a club when the club is to be used and is secured against loss or misplacement, which would require a search of the area for the head cover after the shot has been made, by merely pressing the patch of pile material secured to the head cover to the band or strip of the complementary pile fabric secured to the golf bag.

The golf bag 10 when transported about the course on a pull or motor cart is rarely, if ever, placed upon the ground or grass where grass blades or clippings or other foreign material might become engaged with the pile fabric secured to the bag. Such foreign material of course tends to adhere to the strip of pile material, detracts from the appearance of the golf bag, and may, if a sufficient amount of such foreign material adheres to the pile fabric, interfere with the attachment of the head covers thereto.

The bag 50 is especially adapted for use where the bag is to be carried by the player or a caddy, instead of being transported on a cart, so that the bag is often placed on the ground or grass of the golf course during the playing of a game of golf. The golf bag 50 has the usual cylindrical body 51 whose bottom end is closed and has a bottom reinforcing band 53 secured to the cylindrical body in any suitable manner, as by the usual rivets 54. The golf bag also has the usual top reinforcing band 56 which may be integral with the plastic bottom pan 57, secured to the cylindrical body portion in any suitable manner, as by rivets, not shown, and is provided with a carrier strap 60 whose upper end is provided with the usual snap fastener 61 releasably attachable to the metal ring 62 connected to the upper open end of the golf bag. The snap fastener 61 has the usual elongate slot or aperture 64 through which an end portion of the carrier strap 60 is inserted, then folded back on an intermediate portion thereof and secured thereto by the usual rivets 65. A connector is secured to the body in any suitable manner, as by a loop 71 of fabric or plastic secured to the bag 51 by rivets or the like which extend through an elongate slot or aperture of the connector. The lower end portion of the carrier strap is also looped through the slot of the connector and releasably secured to an intermediate portion of the strap by a suitable coengageable snap fastener member 72 and 72a or by any other suitable adjustable means, as an adjustable buckle.

A pocket 75 of substantially rectangular conformation extends outwardly from the cylindrical body 51 of the golf bag below the carrier strap connector 70 and has a continuous wall 76 which extends outwardly of the cylindrical body and a front wall 77 whose longitudinal central opening is closed by a zipper 78 having the sliding operator member 79. The side wall 76 may be of somewhat rigid substance and is secured to the main body portion in any suitable way, as by being molded integral therewith, by bonding, riveting or sewing.

A pair of strips 80 of the loop pile material 31 are secured to the body portion between the pocket 75 and the top band 56 of the golf bag by any suitable means such as sewing, an adhesive or the like.

It will be apparent that when the golf bag 50 is laid down on the ground or other supporting surface, the engagement of the side wall 76 of the pocket 75 will maintain the golf bag in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 with the pile strips 80 disposed above the ground or grass and out of contact therewith since any rolling movement of the golf bag in either direction about its longitudinal axis will be arrested by the engagement of the side wall of the pocket with the supporting surface. Moreover, since the carrier strap is connected to the golf bag at locations in longitudinal alignment with and at opposite ends of the strips 80, the lowering of the golf bag to the ground by means of the carrier strap in the usual manner will necessarily cause the portions of the golf bag opposite the strips 80 to engage the ground and the bag will rest on the ground with the strips 80 facing upwardly unless the slope of the ground causes the bag to roll in which case the pocket will arrest such rolling movement of the bag and hold the strips 80 spaced from the ground.

It will now be apparent that the head cover 35 may be detachably secured to one of the strips 80 of the pile material after it has been removed from the golf club by merely pressing the patch or piece 44 to a strip 80 and that such head cover may be easily detached from the golf bag when it is desired to again cover the club head.

In ordinary usage, the player stands the bag on its closed bottom when he desires to remove a golf club therefrom and, if the golf club has a head cover, the player removes the head cover 36 either before or after lifting the golf club from the golf bag, then attaches it to the golf bag by pressing the patch 44 thereof to a strip 80 and then lowers the golf bag to the ground by means of the carrier strap so that the golf bag will tend to lie on the ground with the strips 80 facing upwardly and out of contact with the ground. Should the golf bag for one reason or another, roll about its longitudinal axis, such rolling movement of the golf bag is limited and stopped by the engagement of the pocket with the ground so that the strips 80 are held out of engagement with the ground or the grass.

In FIGURE 4 is illustrated still another form of the golf bag 100 whose substantially cylindrical body 101 provided at its open or throat end with a top reinforcing band having a projection which provides a flattened or planar longitudinally extending exterior surface 102 disposed oppositely of the locations of the connector 104 and the snap fastener ring 105 of the golf bag by means of WhlCh the opposite ends of the carrier strap 106 which may be identical to the carrier straps and 60 and whose opposite ends are suitably provided with the snap fastener 107 and the snap members 108 and 108a, is secured to the golf bag. The projection providing the planar surface may be molded integral with the top reinforcing band which is secured to the body 101 in any suitable manner as by rivets, not shown. The flattened or planar surface prevents the rolling of the bag about its longitudinal axis when it is lowered to the ground by means of the carrier strap. The golf bag 100 is provided with the usual bottom reinforcing band 108. A strip 110 of the loop pile material 31 secured to the exterior of the body of the golf bag 100 extends circumferentially about the arcuate surface thereof remote from the planar surface 102 and its ends are spaced from the fiat portion 102 so that the strip 110 will not contact the ground or the grass when the golf bag is placed on the ground.

It will be apparent that, if desired, the body portion 101 of the golf bag 100' may be provided with a longitudinally extending strip or strip of pile fabric in longitudinal alignment relative to the bag between the connector 104 and the snap fastener ring 105 in the same manner as are secured the strips 80 of the bag 5 instead of with the arcuately extending strip 110 at the upper end or throat of the bag and that such longitudinally extending strip would of course also be normally held out of contact with the ground or grass when the bag 100 lies on the ground. Moreover, the bag 100 may also be provided with a pocket such as the pocket 14 of the golf bag 10.

It will also be apparent that while the golf bags illustrated and described have strips of loop pile material secured thereto and pieces or patches of hook pile fabric are secured to the head covers, that the bags could be provided with strips of hook pile material in which event the golf bag covers would necessarily be provided with patches of loop pile material.

It will further be apparent that while the patches or pieces of pile fabric have been illustrated as secured to the head covers by means of tabs or connector strips 40 which extend from the upper closed ends of the head covers, the patches could be secured by means of such tabs to other portions of the head cover or could be directly connected to panels 36 of the head covers at any desired location thereon by any suitable means, as by rivets or by sewing.

It will also be seen that while the tabs 40 have been described as formed of a flexible fabric or plastic, they could be formed of a fairly rigid or stiff substance so that the pieces 44 are held spaced from the head covers.

The connection of the patches or pieces of pile material to the head cover by means of flexible tabs which extend from the upper ends of the head covers is preferred, since this is the location which facilitates the attachment to and detachment from the golf bag of the head covers without requiring undue attention by the player to such operations.

It will now be seen that a new and improved golf bag and a new and improved golf club head cover have been illustrated and described which have coengageable means for easily and detachably securing individual golf club head covers to the bag without requiring the player to manipulate hooks, fasteners or other mechanical devices.

It will further be seen that the cooperable means for detachably securing the golf club head covers to the golf bag include complementary hook and loop pile materials secured to the bag and to the head covers, the loop pile fabric having a plurality of loops and the hook pile material having a plurality of resilient hooks whereby the hooks of the hook pile material engage the loops of the loop pile material to releasably secure the materials to one another when one is pressed against the other.

It will further be seen that the golf bag is provided with a strip of pile material which extends across a relatively large dimension of the golf bag, either longitudinally or circumferentially thereof, whereby the player may readily secure the head cover to a readily accessible portion of the strip on the golf bag without requiring predetermined orientation or placement of the golf bag relative to the hand of the player which attaches the head cover to or detaches the head cover from the bag.

It will further be seen that in the embodiments of the golf bags illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the golf bags are provided with means, such as the pocket 75 and the planar surface 102, which holds the golf bag in such position on the ground or like supporting surface that the strips of pile material are held remote from and out of engagement with such supporting surface or any foreign 0r extraneous materials disposed on such supporting surface.

It will further be seen that the provision of a golf bag and golf club head covers which have cooperable means for easily and quickly individually attaching and detaching the head covers from the golf bag without any manipulation of mechanical fastening devices, facilitates the course of play and at the same time prevents misplacement or loss of the head covers and the consequent loss of time in searching for such lost or misplaced head covers.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination: a golf bag having a strip of pile material secured to the exterior thereof; and a golf club head cover having a piece of pile material secured thereto, one of said pile materials secured to said golf bag and to said head cover having a plurality of outwardly extending loops and the other of said pile materials having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom, said hooks being coengageable with said loops for releasably securing said head cover to said golf bag.

2. In combination: a golf bag having a strip of pile material secured to the exterior thereof; and a golf club head cover having a piece of pile material secured thereto, one of said pile materials secured to said golf bag and to said head cover having a plurality of outwardly extend ing loops and the other of said pile materials having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom, said hooks being coengageable with said loops for releasably securing said head cover to said golf bag, said golf bag having means engageable with a supporting surface on which said golf bag may be placed for holding said golf bag against movement on the supporting surface in a position wherein said strip of pile material on the exterior of said golf bag is held spaced from said supporting surface.

3. A golf bag including: a cylindrical elongate body having a closed bottom end and an open upper end; a carrier strap connectable to said body at longitudinally spaced locations on said golf bag, and a strip of pile material secured to the exterior of said golf bag, said golf bag having means for preventing rolling of said golf bag about its longitudinal axis when placed on a supporting surface to hold said golf bag in position on a supporting surface with said strip of pile material positioned remote from said supporting surface.

4. In combination: a golf bag having a strip of pile material secured to the exterior thereof; and a golf club head cover having a piece of pile material secured thereto, one of said pile materials secured to said golf bag and to said head cover having a plurality of outwardly extending loops and the other of said pile materials having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom, said hooks being coengageable with said loop for releasably securing said head cover to said golf bag, said golf bag having a sprocket means extending outwardly of said golf bag, said outwardly extending pocket means being engageable with a supporting surface for limiting rolling movement of said golf bag in a direction moving said strip of pile material toward engagement with a supporting surface when the golf bag is laid on a supporting surface.

5. A golf bag including: a cylindrical elongate body having a closed bottom end and an open upper end; a carrier strap connectable to said body at longitudinally spaced locations on said golf bag; and a strip of pile material secured to the exterior of said golf bag adjacent said locations, said golf bag having a planar external surface disposed oppositely of said locations and said strip for preventing rolling of said bag on a supporting surface to hold said strip remote from said supporting surface.

6. A golf bag including: a cylindrical elongate body having a closed bottom end and an open upper end; a carrier strap connectable to said body at longitudinally spaced locations on said golf bag; and a strip of pile ma terial secured to the exterior of said golf bag adjacent said locations, said pile fabric extending longitudinally on said golf bag between said locations, said golf bag having means for preventing rolling of said golf bag about its longitudinal axis to hold said golf bag in position on a supporting surface with said strap remote from the supporting surface whereby when said bag is lowered to rest on a supporting surface by means of said carrier strap said strip of pile material is positioned remote from said supporting surface.

7. In combination: a golf bag having a strip of pile material secured to and extending circumferentially about the exterior thereof; and a golf club head cover having a piece of pile material secured thereto, one of said pile materials secured to said golf bag and to said head cover having a plurality of outwardly extending loops and the other of said pile materials having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom, said hooks being coengageable with said loops for releasably securing said head cover to said golf bag.

8. A golf bag including: a cylindrical body having a closed bottom end and an upper open throat end, said bag having an external planar surface for preventing rolling movement of the golf bag about its longitudinal axis when placed on a supporting surface; and a strip of pile material secured to the exterior of said bag facing oppositely of said planar surface and coengageable with a complementary pile material of a golf club head cover for releasably attaching a head cover to the golf bag.

9. A golf bag including: a cylindrical body having a closed bottom end and an upper open throat end, said bag having an external planar surface for preventing rolling movement of the golf bag about its longitudinal axis when placed on a supporting surface; and a strip of pile material secured to the exterior of said bag facing oppositely of said planar surface extending arcuately about said body adjacent its open throat end and having opposite ends spaced from said planar surface, said strip being coengageable with a complementary pile material of a gold club head cover for releasably attaching a head cover to the golf bag.

10. In combination: a golf bag having a strip of pile material secured to the exterior thereof; a golf club head cover having a piece of pile material secured thereto, one of said pile materials secured to said golf bag and to said head cover having a plurality of outwardly extending loops and the other of said pile material having a plurality of hooks extending therefrom, said hooks being coengageable with said loops for releasably securing said head cover to said golf bag; and a tab having one end portion secured to said head cover and having its other free end portion extending outwardly of said head cover, said piece of pile material being secured to said free end portion.

11. A golf club head cover for use with a golf bag provided with a strip of pile material: said cover having closed end and an elongate downwardly opening throat portion; resilient means yieldably constructing said throat portion; and a piece of pile material secured to said head cover, said piece of pile material being coengageable with pile material of a golf bag for releasably attaching said head cover to a golf bag.

12. A golf club head cover for use with a golf bag provided with a strip of pile material: said cover having an upper closed end and an elongate downwardly opening throat portion; resilient means yieldably constricting said throat portion; a tab secured to said head cover and having a free end portion extending outwardly therefrom; and a piece of pile material secured to said free end portion, said piece of pile material having means coengageable with pile material of a golf bag for releasably attaching the head cover to a golf bag.

13. A golf club head cover for use with a golf bag provided with a strip of pile material: said cover having an upper closed end and an elongate downwardly opening throat portion; and a piece of pile material secured to said head cover, and said piece of pile material being coengageable with pile material of a golf bag for releasably attaching said head cover to a golf bag.

14. A golf club head cover for use with a golf bag provided with a strip of pile material: said cover having an upper closed end and an elongate downwardly opening throat portion; a tab secured to said head cover and having a free end portion extending outwardly therefrom; and a piece of pile material secured to said free end portion, said piece of pile material having means coengageable with pile material of a golf bag for releasably attaching the head cover to a golf bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,957,577 Chapman May 8, 1934 2,532,195 Rosenow Nov. 28, 1950 3,027,566 Ruby Apr. 3, 1962 3,066,321 Kintner Dec. 4, 1962 

1. IN COMBINATION: A GOLF BAG HAVING A STRIP OF PILE MATERIAL SECURED TO THE EXTERIOR THEREOF; AND A GOLF CLUB HEAD COVER HAVING A PIECE OF PILE MATERIAL SECURED THERETO, ONE OF SAID PILE MATERIALS SECURED TO SAID GOLF BAG AND TO SAID HEAD COVER HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LOOPS AND THE OTHER OF SAID PILE MATERIALS HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOOKS EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID HOOKS BEING COENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LOOPS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID HEAD COVER TO SAID GOLF BAG. 